Progress towards our international climate-change commitments

New Zealand is committed to both domestic and international climate change progress. As a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol we report our actions in New Zealand’s National Communication and Biennial Reports.

Read the latest reports

About the reports

The Seventh National Communication and Third Biennial Report are mandatory reporting requirements for New Zealand as an Annex 1 Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Kyoto Protocol.

They summarise New Zealand’s domestic greenhouse gas emissions profile, climate change policy measures, support for developing countries, and progress on implementing New Zealand’s obligations under the UNFCCC. The Seventh National Communication updates the Sixth National Communication that was published in 2013.

Much of the content of the reports synthesises existing, information on New Zealand’s emissions profile and policy measures.

Information that is not included elsewhere, or is summarised in a new way includes:

an estimate of the quantitative effect of policy measures in place at July 2017 on emission levels

an explanation of how New Zealand intends to meet our 2020 emissions reduction target

detailed emission projections to 2030 by sector

a detailed breakdown of financial support provided and technological and capacity building support delivered to developing countries

an update to New Zealand’s Global Climate Observing System (GCOS).

The reports are produced by us in collaboration with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Ministry of Transport, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and the Environmental Protection Authority.